Written Answers Tuesday 13 March 2007

Scottish Executive

Breastfeeding

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken in the last year to promote the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 and what measures are in place to monitor its implementation.

Lewis Macdonald: The Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 – Advice for Employers leaflet was distributed nationally by the Scottish Executive to all places of employment highlighting the responsibilities of employers to members of the public who are entitled to be on their premises.

  NHS Health Scotland have followed up the initial work on promotion by producing a DVD as a training aid for health professionals and are continuing to promote the benefits of breastfeeding to women and their families.

  Whilst there are no formal monitoring arrangements in place, there have been no cases raised under the terms of the act, suggesting that women are able to breastfeed freely as envisaged by the act.

Breastfeeding

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives have been undertaken in the last year to work with local authorities to consider options to support breastfeeding in public, with particular reference to the licensing and planning of public spaces.

Lewis Macdonald: Last year the Executive introduced the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005, making it an offence to prevent or stop an adult feeding milk to a child under the age of two in a public space.

  The legislation provides that if an infant is legally entitled to be in a public space, then the supervising adult has the right to feed the infant milk. Given that the legislation is rights based and that we have had no reports of mothers being prevented from feeding freely in appropriate public places, no additional licensing arrangements have been required.

  There are a number of local partnership initiatives in place, such as NHS Lanarkshire’s Breastfeeding Initiative, and its Breastfeeding Friendly Award Campaign, which recognises shops and businesses that welcome and support breastfeeding on their premises.

Breastfeeding

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support and promote National Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2007, commencing on 13 May.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has funded Breastfeeding DVDs for health professionals to use and disseminate and produced promotional material. In addition it is planned to show a television advertisement the focus will be on cultural attitudes to breastfeeding in public settings.

  Results from the UK-wide Infant Feeding Survey will be launched during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week in 2007 which includes information gathered in Scotland.

Central Heating Programme

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authority-owned homes in the Stirling local authority area are centrally heated as a result of the Executive’s central heating programme.

Des McNulty: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Stirling Council did not participate in the central heating programme. However, during 2004-05, Stirling Council replaced a total of 15 partial heating systems with new full house central heating systems through the Warm Deal programme. Twelve of these were done in the council’s own stock with the remaining three carried out in the private sector.

Domestic Abuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions related to cases of domestic abuse there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: Information in relation to guilty pleas and convictions for offences arising from incidents of domestic abuse is not separately identifiable in the available statistics.

Health

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many in-patient and out-patient appointments and procedures there were in NHS Forth Valley in each year since 2000.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested on the number of in-patient and day case episodes, and new and return out-patient attendances is shown in following table 1.

  Table 1: Number of In-Patient and Day Case Episodes, and New and Return Out-Patient Attendances in NHS Forth Valley Board of Treatment for Years Ending 31 March 2000 to 2006

  

 Year Ending 31 March:
 In-Patients
 Day Cases1
 New Out-Patients
 Return Out-Patients


 2000
 34,136
 17,049
 65,443
 175,515


 2001
 35,039
 19,400
 65,286
 172,202


 2002
 34,284
 21,538
 63,235
 166,058


 2003
 32,694
 20,760
 59,843
 164,323


 2004
 34,956
 10,494
 64,656
 158,291


 2005
 36,292
 9,466
 65,281
 152,872


 2006P
 36,088
 8,670
 60,349
 136,145



  PProvisional.

  Sources: SMR01 and ISD(S)1.

  Note: 1. From April 2003, Forth Valley NHS Board ceased submission of SMR01 data for patients attending the preliminary investigation treatment unit of the Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary (day bed unit). This was in order to comply with Audit Scotland guidelines regarding recording of elective admissions and waiting lists.

  In addition, hospital activity is undertaken at nurse-led clinics. ISD Scotland have been working with NHS boards to capture this information. Initial findings are published as part of ISD Scotland’s data development web pages at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4453.html.

  Procedures are carried out within NHSScotland in a wide range of settings dependent on a number of factors including the complexity of the operation and the clinical and personal needs of the patient. The following table 2 shows the number of procedures carried out on patients admitted as in-patients or day cases.

  Procedures can also be performed in an out-patient setting. From April 2003, the national reporting of surgical activity in out-patients has been required and ISD has been working with NHS boards to develop full compliance nationally. At this stage only a proportion of boards have achieved extensive coverage and further work will be necessary before a complete account of all out-patient surgical activity can be made. The provisional number of out-patient procedures recorded in NHS Forth Valley in the year ended 31 March 2006 was 3,322.

  Table 2: Total Number of Procedures Performed in Acute Specialties in NHS Forth Valley Board of Treatment for Years Ending 31 March 2000 to 2006

  

 Year Ending 31 March:
 In-Patients
 Day Cases1


 2000
 15,736
 17,953


 2001
 16,111
 20,150


 2002
 18,901
 22,595


 2003
 24,169
 21,871


 2004
 22,000
 11,405


 2005
 21,300
 10,283


 2006P
 19,333
 9,412



  PProvisional.

  Source: SMR01.

  Note: 1. From April 2003, Forth Valley NHS Board ceased submission of SMR01 data for patients attending the preliminary investigation treatment unit of the Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary (day bed unit). This was in order to comply with Audit Scotland guidelines regarding recording of elective admissions and waiting lists.

Housing

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the landlord registration website will become fully operational.

Des McNulty: The landlord registration website is fully operational for landlords to apply for registration, and for members of the public to search for registered landlords and properties. Local authorities are currently processing applications. The public search function only shows registrations which have been approved.

International Workers’ Memorial Day

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April 2007.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive will mark International Workers’ Memorial Day by continuing our work with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), trade unions, responsible employers and with all those committed to ending the kind of tragedies that will be commemorated on that day. It is important that, as well as highlighting the issue of health and safety in the workplace on this specific date each year, we ensure that the positive messages on health and safety percolate into business and Government decisions and results in genuine improvements in the workplace. We know that we have to engage both employers and their workers. In this respect, The Partnership on Health and Safety in Scotland (PHASS) was established in 2005 by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), supported by UK and Scottish ministers, with the aim of implementing the HSC’s strategy for workplace health and safety to 2010 and beyond, in Scotland. It brings together representatives from the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), Confederation of British Industry, Scotland (CBI), Federation of Small Business (FSB), local authorities, the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, POOSH Scotland (professional organisations in occupational safety and health), HSC, HSE and the Scottish Executive. PHASS aims to target action by co-ordinating effort by devolved and reserved government and to promote the benefits to people, businesses, and Scotland’s economy, of working in a safe and healthy environment.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many police operations in each of the last 10 years firearms were issued to officers, broken down by police force.

Cathy Jamieson: The deployment of firearms is an operational matter for Chief Constables. The following table gives information provided by forces for the number of operations against persons known or believed to be armed.

  

 Police Force
 1996-97
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Central
 9
 6
 15
 10
 8
 1
 6
 3
 1
 3


 Dumfries and Galloway
 9
 4
 3
 6
 3
 15
 11
 6
 4
 4


 Fife
 16
 5
 8
 5
 5
 6
 8
 13
 5
 9


 Grampian
 11
 11
 13
 17
 11
 11
 6
 6
 6
 1


 Lothian and Borders
 87
 153
 130
 66
 94
 96
 165
 197
 181
 150


 Northern
 5
 3
 2
 7
 10
 5
 0
 1
 4
 3


 Strathclyde
 38
 95
 77
 17
 14
 24
 103
 131
 117
 203


 Tayside
 15
 15
 8
 13
 5
 5
 1
 1
 3
 1



  Source: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many guns it estimates were illegally held in the last year for which figures are available.

Cathy Jamieson: Whilst the requested information is not held centrally, identifying and reducing the threats posed by the criminal possession and use of firearms in Scotland is a major focus for Scottish forces and their law enforcement partners.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many knives were handed in to police stations in each of the last five years, broken down by police force.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally. Statistics were, however, kept during the national knife amnesty last year, as detailed in the following table.

  

 Police Force
 Number of Knives (Domestic and Non-Domestic) 
  Recovered During the 
  National Amnesty, June 2006
 Number of Other Weapons 
  Recovered During the 
  National Amnesty, June 2006


 Central
 495
 74


 Dumfries and Galloway
 403
 43


 Fife
 599
 59


 Grampian
 794
 52


 Lothian and Borders
 1,626
 214


 Northern
 419
 91


 Tayside
 866
 102


 Strathclyde
 5,083
 1,621


 British Transport Police
 92
 4


 Ministry of Defence
 8
 0

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there were for offences committed in hospitals in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: Information on offence location is not recorded in the available statistics on convictions.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which courts have been (a) closed and (b) opened in each year since 1997.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Court Service has not ceased the operation of any courts during this period. Two sheriff courts have, however, been relocated to alternative premises, shared with local authorities, within the towns in which they operate, resulting in the closure of old court buildings. These are Rothesay (2004) and Peebles (2005).

  The Scottish Court Service has not created any entirely new courts during the period, although it has extended various buildings and acquired annexes to accommodate increased business in the existing courts. The new Mercatgate court building was opened in Aberdeen in 2005 as an annexe to Aberdeen Sheriff Court, and additional court buildings were also opened in Dundee (2003) and Hamilton (2006). All other changes have been extensions to existing buildings.

Local Authority Funding

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid in aggregate external finance (AEF) to Orkney Islands Council in each year since 1987-88 (a) in actual terms and (b) at 1987 prices.

Mr Tom McCabe: Aggregate external finance (AEF) was first introduced in 1990-91. The available information has been provided in the following table at the base year (1990-91) prices to enable a like-with-like comparison to be made.

  

 Year
AEF (£ Million)
AEF at 1990-91 Prices (£Million)


 1990-91
 22.274
 22.274


 1991-92
 24.566
 23.151


 1992-93
 31.178
 28.466


 1993-94
 34.694
 30.870


 1994-95
 35.758
 31.344


 1995-96
 37.539
 31.933


 1996-97
 37.977
 31.254


 1997-98
 38.208
 30.555


 1998-99
 39.508
 30.812


 1999-2000
 40.424
 30.902


 2000-01
 40.306
 30.384


 2001-02
 43.119
 31.751


 2002-03
 46.212
 33.007


 2003-04
 49.410
 34.272


 2004-05
 52.331
 35.326


 2005-06
 54.836
 36.339


 2006-07
 58.510
 37.761


 2007-08
 61.087
 38.386



  Notes:

  1. What is now defined as AEF (combining Revenue Support Grant, non-domestic rate income and specific grants within the settlement) did not exist prior to the introduction of the Community Charge. Prior to 1990-91, funding was provided on a different basis. 2. The figures given are as contained in the annual local government finance settlement for each year and have not been adjusted for any subsequent transfers of responsibility. 3. For comparison, figures are at 1990-91 prices and are derived using the GDP deflators, as published on the Office of National Statistics website.

Mortality

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have died as a result of obesity in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table shows the number of deaths for which obesity was recorded as the underlying cause of death, by NHS board for each of the last 10 years.

  Obesity itself is rarely recorded as an underlying cause of death, although it may have been involved in the development and/or exacerbation of frequently recorded conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

  Deaths from Obesity 1,2, by NHS Board Area 3, 1996-2005

  

 
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Scotland
24
19
22
17
21
27
35
33
22
26


Argyll and Clyde (former)
2
-
-
2
1
4
2
-
2
6


Ayrshire and Arran
1
1
1
-
3
-
3
7
2
2


Borders
1
1
-
-
-
1
1
-
1
-


Dumfries and Galloway
1
-
-
-
1
2
4
2
2
-


Fife
4
-
-
2
1
-
1
2
1
-


Forth Valley
-
2
3
3
-
4
4
-
1
2


Grampian
2
1
1
2
2
1
-
1
1
2


Greater Glasgow (former)
3
3
3
3
5
3
4
3
2
1


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
4
3
3
5
6
7
6
3
4
6


Highland (former)
-
2
2
-
-
2
-
-
1
2


Highland
1
2
2
-
-
2
-
-
1
3


Lanarkshire
4
4
2
4
1
3
3
9
1
3


Lothian
5
5
5
1
3
4
8
5
5
5


Orkney
1
-
1
-
-
-
1
-
-
-


Shetland
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
1


Tayside
-
-
4
-
3
2
3
4
3
2


Western Isles
-
-
-
-
1
-
1
-
-
-



  Source: GROS.

  Notes:

  1. Recorded as the underlying cause of death. 2. 1996 - 99: ICD9 code 278.0; 2000 - 05: ICD10 code E66. 3. Argyll and Clyde NHS Board was disbanded in March 2006. The area covered by the former Argyll and Clyde NHS Board was split between the new Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Highland NHS Boards.

Mortality

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died after contracting clostridium difficile in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is given in the following tables.

  Deaths where Clostridium Difficile was the Underlying Cause of Death

  

 NHS Board of Residence
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005


 Scotland
 57
 70
 73
 98
 100


 Ayrshire and Arran
 7
 9
 5
 12
 3


 Borders
 -
 1
 2
 -
 -


 Dumfries and Galloway
 5
 1
 2
 2
 7


 Fife
 4
 3
 4
 14
 13


 Forth Valley
 2
 3
 1
 4
 8


 Grampian
 1
 3
 6
 7
 6


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde1
 15
 21
 18
 26
 22


 Highland 1
 1
 1
 2
 1
 0


 Lanarkshire
 4
 9
 7
 6
 13


 Lothian
 11
 13
 20
 22
 21


 Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Tayside
 7
 6
 6
 4
 7


 Western Isles
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Argyll and Clyde2
 6
 6
 4
 6
 3


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde pt.
 5
 6
 3
 6
 3


 Highland pt.
1
-
1
-
-


Greater Glasgow2
10
15
15
20
19


Highland2
-
1
1
1
-



  Notes:

  1. New NHS board areas including parts of former Argyll and Clyde 2. Former NHS board areas (before dissolution of Argyll and Clyde on 1 April 2006).

  Deaths where Clostridium Difficile was Mentioned on the Death Certificate (Includes Cases where Clostridium Difficile was the Underlying Cause of Death)

  

NHS Board of Residence
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Scotland
170
164
188
239
313


Ayrshire and Arran
21
14
17
21
13


Borders
-
2
2
1
4


Dumfries and Galloway
12
1
3
6
25


Fife
9
11
17
24
23


Forth Valley
11
8
11
11
17


Grampian
4
9
10
12
14


Greater Glasgow and Clyde1
45
51
44
70
86


Highland 1
2
2
6
5
3


Lanarkshire
12
22
17
21
28


Lothian
36
32
48
50
78


Orkney
1
-
-
-
-


Shetland
-
-
-
-
1


Tayside
17
12
13
18
21


Western Isles
-
-
-
-
-


Argyll and Clyde2
11
13
12
16
18


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde pt.
9
13
9
13
17


 Highland pt.
2
-
3
3
1


Greater Glasgow2
36
38
35
57
69


Highland2
-
2
3
2
2



  Notes:

  1. New NHS board areas including parts of former Argyll and Clyde. 2. Former NHS board areas (before dissolution of Argyll and Clyde on 1 April 2006).

  These data should be treated with caution. Recording of healthcare associate infection (HAIs) as a cause of death is based on the clinical judgement of individual doctors. Recording of specific causes may be influenced by an increased public and professional awareness of that infection, and increases in reporting may not reliably indicate true changes in incidence. Note that the data relate to NHS board of residence and not place of death.

  The Ministerial HAI Task Force has developed a raft of measures, based on evidence and best practice, including surveillance, professional guidance, education and training programmes, and enhanced reporting and accountability structures. Guidance on the prudent use of antibiotics, which is one of the main factors in controlling Clostridium difficile, issued in September 2005.

  As part of the work of the Ministerial HAI Task Force, we have enhanced monitoring and surveillance measures, and reporting of all cases of Clostridium difficile was made mandatory for NHS laboratories in September 2006.

NHS Finance

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18734 by Mr Andy Kerr on 26 September 2005, what the activity levels of each NHS board were, expressed (a) in per capita spend and (b) by population share in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06.

Mr Andy Kerr: The requested information is provided in the following tables. The information is taken from the Scottish Health Service Costs Book for financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06. Specifically, the information comes from Reports 200 to 290: Health Care Expenditure, By Board of Residence . These include expenditure and activity on Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS); comprising acute, maternity, geriatric assessment, general psychiatry, learning disabilities, geriatric continuing care, younger physically disabled and community services. The reports also include expenditure (but not activity) on Family Health Services (FHS) (primary medical, general dental, pharmaceutical and general ophthalmic services).

  The expenditure per head figures have been presented for HCHS and FHS separately. In previous years (prior to 2004-05) the FHS element has been excluded from this expenditure per head data, hence figures obtained in the answer to the previous question (S2W-18734 answered on 26 September 2005) should be compared to the HCHS expenditure.

  The activity data only takes account of HCHS, there are no comparable activity data for FHS. A variety of activity types are shown, reflecting the wide range of activity undertaken by health boards.

  Table 1 Expenditure per Head and Activity per Resident. Year ending 31 March 2005

  Hospital and Community Health Services

  

 Health Board
 Activity Per Person Resident in Health Board
Expenditure Per 
  Head(£)
Family Health Services
  Expenditure per 
  Head (£)


 In-Patient Cases1
 In-Patient Weeks2
 Day Cases3
 Day 
  Patient Attendances4
 Out-Patient New Attendances5
 A&E Attendances6
 Community Visits7


 Ayrshire and Arran
 0.2
 0.1
 0.09
 0.08
 0.3
 0.28
 2.16
 993
 379


 Borders
 0.16
 0.06
 0.05
 0.19
 0.56
 0.22
 1.47
 786
 327


 Argyll and Clyde
 0.19
 0.12
 0.17
 0.19
 0.55
 0.33
 1.11
 1,100
 389


 Fife 
 0.17
 0.09
 0.1
 0.14
 1.41
 0.25
 2.18
 911
 353


 Greater Glasgow
 0.2
 0.1
 0.09
 0.04
 0.33
 0.35
 1.36
 1,091
 404


 Highland 
 0.21
 0.06
 0.07
 0.1
 0.38
 0.31
 1.54
 1,015
 402


 Lanarkshire
 0.21
 0.08
 0.09
 0.05
 0.25
 0.3
 1.56
 964
 367


 Grampian
 0.19
 0.07
 0.06
 0.08
 0.29
 0.29
 1.45
 819
 344


 Orkney
 0.21
 0.05
 0.07
 0.03
 0.54
 0.17
 1.88
 1,112
 479


 Lothian
 0.05
 0.07
 0.07
 0.11
 0.27
 0.23
 1
 951
 334


 Tayside
 0.2
 0.09
 0.06
 0.17
 0.49
 0.28
 1.94
 1,073
 378


 Forth Valley 
 0.16
 0.1
 0.05
 0.14
 0.32
 0.28
 1.95
 857
 378


 Western Isles
 0.38
 0.07
 0.02
 0.05
 0.5
 0
 1.24
 1,191
 506


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0.16
 0.09
 0.07
 0.14
 0.26
 0.3
 1.78
 1,050
 384


 Shetland
 0.58
 0.07
 0.08
 0.09
 0.28
 0.37
 2.63
 1,088
 498


 Totals or Averages
 0.17
 0.09
 0.08
 0.1
 0.42
 0.29
 1.54
 984
 372



  Source: Scottish Health Service Costs Book 2004-05. Reports 200-290.

  Notes:

  1. Acute, maternity and geriatric assessment. 2. General psychiatry services; learning disabilities services; geriatric continuing care services, and younger physically disabled. 3. Acute and maternity. 4. Geriatric assessment services; general psychiatry services; learning disabilities services; geriatric continuing care services and younger physically disabled. 5. Acute, maternity, geriatric assessment services; general psychiatry services and learning disabilities services. 6. Acute. 7. Community midwifery; community psychiatry services; community learning disability services and nursing and health visiting. 8. Services with expenditure figures, but activity data not available are:

  Lothian - Maternity – community midwifery visits.

  Orkney - Geriatric assessment – out-patient new attendances.

  Shetland - General psychiatry – in-patient weeks.

  Table 2 Expenditure per Head and Activity per Resident. Year Ending 31 March 2006

  Hospital and Community Health Services

  

 Health Board
 Activity Per Person Resident in Health Board
Expenditure Per 
  Head(£)
Family Health Services
  Expenditure Per 
  Head(£)


 In-Patient Cases1
 In-Patient Weeks2
 Day Cases3
 Day Patient Attendances4
 Out-Patient New Attendances5
 A&E Attendances6
 Community Visits7


 Ayrshire and Arran
 0.21
 0.09
 0.1
 0.07
 0.31
 0.28
 2.19
 1,113
 404


 Borders
 0.21
 0.06
 0.08
 0.18
 0.25
 0.21
 1.35
 1,059
 337


 Argyll and Clyde
 0.2
 0.11
 0.17
 0.16
 0.35
 0.33
 1.13
 1,180
 406


 Fife 
 0.18
 0.09
 0.1
 0.1
 0.5
 0.25
 2.28
 974
 375


 Greater Glasgow
 0.19
 0.1
 0.11
 0.03
 0.34
 0.38
 1.14
 1,168
 431


 Highland 
 0.2
 0.06
 0.07
 0.09
 0.3
 0.26
 0
 1,138
 424


 Lanarkshire
 0.2
 0.08
 0.09
 0.05
 0.42
 0.31
 1.04
 1,003
 383


 Grampian
 0.19
 0.07
 0.06
 0.08
 0.32
 0.31
 1.82
 897
 364


 Orkney
 0.23
 0.05
 0.09
 0.05
 0.62
 0.18
 1.81
 1,332
 520


 Lothian
 0.05
 0.09
 0.07
 0.11
 0.28
 0.22
 0.97
 992
 360


 Tayside
 0.18
 0.09
 0.06
 0.15
 0.51
 0.28
 2.13
 1,087
 404


 Forth Valley 
 0.16
 0.09
 0.07
 0.14
 0.31
 0.26
 2.01
 942
 397


 Western Isles
 0.24
 0.07
 0.08
 0.03
 0.73
 0.33
 1.54
 1,583
 527


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0.17
 0.09
 0.09
 0.17
 0.24
 0.32
 2.01
 1,119
 403


 Shetland
 0.13
 0.07
 0.08
 0.09
 0.37
 0.38
 0
 1,233
 506


 Totals or Averages
 0.17
 0.09
 0.09
 0.1
 0.35
 0.29
 1.43
 1,057
 394



  Source: Scottish Health Service Costs Book 2005-06. Reports 200-290.

  Notes:

  1 – 7. As above. 8. Services with expenditure figures, but activity data not available are:

  Highland - Maternity – Community midwifery visits.

  - General Psychiatry – Community psychiatric team visits.
  - Learning Disabilities – Community learning disabilities team visits.
  - Community – Nursing and health visiting visits.


  Lothian - Maternity – Community midwifery visits.

  Shetland - Maternity – Day cases.

  - Maternity – Out-patient new attendances.
  - Maternity – Community midwifery visits.
  - Geriatric Assessment – In-patient cases.
  - General Psychiatry – In-patient weeks.
  - General Psychiatry – Out-patient attendances
  - General Psychiatry – Community psychiatric team visits.
  - Learning Disabilities – Learning disabilities team visits.
  - Community – Nursing and health visiting visits.


  Western Isles - Learning disabilities – in-patient weeks.

NHS Waiting Times

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for the NHS wheelchair service for adults, broken down by NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally. The department continues to work closely with wheelchair service managers on further improving the service. This work should incorporate the development of nationally consistent data collection on waiting times and other relevant Key Performance Indicators.

NHS Waiting Times

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for the NHS wheelchair service for children, broken down by NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally. The department continues to work closely with wheelchair service managers on further improving the service. This work should incorporate the development of nationally consistent data collection on waiting times and other relevant Key Performance Indicators.

NHS Waiting Times

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the median and mean waiting times were for (a) in-patients and day cases and (b) out-patients in each year since 1999, also including availability status codes.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table shows the median and mean waiting times for in-patient/day case admissions from the waiting list and new out-patient appointments during the years ending 31 March 1999 to 2006.

  The distribution of waiting times for new out-patient appointments and in-patient/day case admissions is highly positively skewed. The arithmetic mean is an inappropriate statistical measure for such distributions because a very small number of long waiting times can have a disproportionate effect on the mean waiting time.

  ISD Scotland routinely publishes the median wait as a measure of the time a typical patient might have to wait. By definition, 50% of patients will wait less than the median and 50% will wait longer than the median. The median is unaffected by a small number of patients that might have long waits.

  The recording of Availability Status Codes (ASCs) on in-patient/day case discharge data is not mandatory and consistency of recording will vary across NHSScotland. Therefore, it is not possible to establish exactly how many patients had an ASC applied during their wait and it is not possible to distinguish precisely between those patients eligible for waiting times standards and those that are ineligible. For this reason the information presented in the following table and routinely published waiting times figures are based on all in-patients/day cases regardless of whether they have an ASC code. The majority of patients with ASCs have circumstances which have affected their availability for admission and are therefore exempt from national waiting time standards. Reasons patients are given ASCs include where the patient has requested a delay for personal reasons, refused a reasonable offer of admission, was under medical constraints that affected their availability or previously did not attend an appointment.

  The recording of ASCs on out-patient data is mandatory and therefore waiting times can be shown including and excluding patients with ASCs.

  

 Year Ending 31 March:
 In-Patient/Day 
  Case Waiting List Admissions
 New Out-Patient Appointments


Median Wait (days) 
  Including 
  ASC Codes
Mean Wait (Days) Including 
  ASC Codes
 Median Wait (Days)
 Mean Wait (Days)


 Including ASC 
  Codes
 Excluding ASC 
  Codes
 Including ASC 
  Codes
 Excluding ASC 
  Codes


 1999
 35
 68
 48
 47
 65
 64


 2000
 34
 63
 50
 49
 70
 68


 2001
 36
 71
 53
 51
 73
 71


 2002
 35
 72
 57
 56
 82
 79


 2003
 36
 77
 59
 57
 91
 89


 2004
 41
 82
 56
 54
 91
 87


 2005
 43
 82
 58
 56
 98
 94


 2006
 43
 77
 57
 53
 85
 79



  Sources: SMR01, SMR00.

Nutrition

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when a national infant feeding strategy will be published.

Lewis Macdonald: The Infant Feeding Strategy will now form an integral part of the Scottish Executive’s Food and Health Delivery Plan which will be published in summer 2007.

Nutrition

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on establishing a national infant feeding advisory group and outlining its work programme.

Lewis Macdonald: The Infant Feeding Steering Group was established last year.

  The work programme consists of the following strands:

  1. Consultation document and analysis 2. Consultation with parents 3. Scope and focus of the food and diet action plan 4. Fit with other policies/policy proofing 5. Advisory structures/appointments 6. Consultation on improving children’s health.

Nutrition

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new national breastfeeding adviser/national infant feeding co-ordinator will be appointed.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive’s first priority has been to ensure that maternal and child nutrition was integrated with the forthcoming food and health delivery plan. The greater clarity and impact which this will bring will enable us to fully scope out the role of the national infant feeding co-ordinator.

  We expect to be in a position to appoint someone by autumn 2007, following publication of the action plan.

Nutrition

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with Learning Teaching Scotland and others in developing multi-sectoral training packages in infant feeding for all early years staff.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is currently working on the development of a food and health delivery plan for Scotland which will encompass the infant feeding strategy. A key component of the work will be the development of multi-sectoral training packages for all early years staff.

  The plan is due to be published in summer 2007.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30117 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 February 2007, whether it will provide a breakdown of the accommodation costs incurred by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service on official overseas trips in each year since 1999.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30117 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 February 2007, whether it will provide a breakdown of the flight costs incurred by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service on official overseas trips in each year since 1999.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30117 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 February 2007, whether it will provide a breakdown of the flight costs incurred by senior staff of the Scottish Prison Service on official overseas trips in each year since 1999.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30117 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 February 2007, whether it will provide a breakdown of the flight costs incurred by prison governors on official overseas trips in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30117 on 14 February 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30117 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 February 2007, how many overseas conferences on prison privatisation were attended by senior staff of the Scottish Prison Service in each year since 1999, showing the costs of flights to each conference.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  None.

Public Private Partnerships

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of its budget will be taken up by PFI/PPP commitments in each of the next 10 years, broken down by department.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is set out in the following table.

  SE PPP Commitments as a Percentage of Departmental Budgets¹

  

 Year
 Justice²
 Education
 Enterprise, Transport 
  and Lifelong Learning
 Finance and 
  Central Services
 Scottish Executive Total


2007-08 (estimate)
 -
 7.2
 0.9
 0.8
 0.6



  Notes:

  1. The Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) budget has been used which includes both operating and capital budgets. 2. A figure for 2007-08 is not available.

  The PPP commitments of the Scottish Executive fall into two categories: the unitary charge for the Executive’s own PPP projects and the support funding provided to local authority PPP projects. In the case of the latter, the full unitary charge has not been shown as only the funding provided by the Executive is a commitment for the Executive.

  The table only includes 2007-08 as the Executive’s spending plans have only been formally approved at present up until that year.

Renewable Energy

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the proposal to build a 90 megawatts wind-powered generating station extension at Windy Standard in the planning authority area of Dumfries and Galloway.

Allan Wilson: I can announce that Scottish ministers have granted consent to this proposal in terms of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Additionally this consent carries deemed planning permission in terms of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.

  This announcement follows a lengthy consultation process which involved a wide range of stakeholders and members of the public. Following consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and other bodies, conditions were attached to this consent to safeguard local and environmental interests.

  The proposed development raised a number of issues in respect of its likely impact on the operation of air traffic control radars at Prestwick Airport; the NATS En Route installation at Lowther Hill, and the Ministry of Defence low flying Tactical Training Area. I am pleased to advise you that following detailed negotiation between the parties involved, solutions have been agreed to the complete satisfaction of the aviation authorities, which ensure that the wind farm development can proceed without impairing the safe operation of these facilities.

  It is estimated the wind farm will save over 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 in its lifetime, providing electricity for up to 50,000 homes. The Executive has already met its target of 18% renewable generation by 2010. We have tremendous potential for renewables in Scotland and are on track to meet our target of 40% by 2020. This is a central plank of the Scottish Climate Change Programme.

  This proposal delivers clear environmental benefits, but it is also an important step towards securing Scotland’s position as a key player in the development of a renewable energy sector in Europe.

Road Accidents

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were convicted for (a) failing to give particulars or to report a traffic accident within 24 hours, (b) undefined accident offences and (c) failing to stop after an accident in each of the last 10 years.

Cathy Jamieson: The level of detail requested is not available from the statistics collected centrally. The total numbers of all these types of accident offence where a charge was proved in court are given in table 19 of statistical bulletin Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts 2004-05 published by the Scottish Executive in April 2006, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39481). Statistics on criminal proceedings concluded in 2005-06 are due for publication on 21 March 2007.

Scottish Information Commissioner

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering issuing guidance to accompany Scottish Ministers’ Code of Practice on the Discharge of Functions by Public Authorities Under the Freedom of Information Act 2002, in light of comments by the Scottish Information Commissioner in Decision 149/2006 that the Executive’s interpretation of the words in a freedom of information request were "unreasonable and even perverse".

Ms Margaret Curran: The commissioner did not require the Executive to take any action in light of the decision. However, we have written to the commissioner to advise that we do not accept the comments made in the decision, and believe they were neither justified nor appropriate.